(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)
A proposal that the officials of the Zionist Organization in Palestine should all apply for naturalization as Palestine citizens was made by Colonel Frederick H. Kisch, political representative of the Zionist Executive, in a letter addressed by him to the Chairman of the Personnel Committee of the Palestine Zionist Executive before his departure from Palestine on vacation leave.
“In spite of the much discussed shortcoming of the Palestine Citizenship Order in Council and of the Regulations under it,” he writes, “in spite of the failure of the Government to meet the case of the thousands of our people who opted for Palestinian Nationality in 1922 and have suffered ever since for their loyalty; in spite of the difficulties which even now are being put in the way of those who seek to naturalize under the new enactment, I feel that it is incumbent upon all of us who can possibly do so, to come forward and demand naturalization. Our adversaries and critics have not lost time in coming forward to make capital out of the meagre response to the facilities now offered us, and although we know how inadequate these facilities really are, we must make our desire clear not only by our demands but by our acts.
“Therefore I am addressing to you the proposal that the officials of the Zionist Organization in Palestine, whose devotion to our cause has been proved through so many difficulties should come forward with one voice and show by their application for naturalization that we are united on this point.
“To this I will only add the observation that although those who opted in 1922 found themselves deceived by the authorities in that they received no new status in place of that which they were considered to have surrendered, yet I believe that we can have confidence in the intention of the Mandatory Government to secure for those who nationalize under the Palestine Citizenship Order in Council the full right of British protected subjects.
“From my knowledge of those who have worked with me so devotedly during the past four years I feel confident that this appeal will meet with a full response. Let the officials of the Organization lead the way for all,” Col. Kisch states.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
